The common bush turkey

Here is a photograph of the common bush turkey that live happily near my beach at the Sunshine Coast. It is interesting to co-exist with these birds.



I call these birds 'bush turkeys" but they are also known generally as 'brush and scrub turkeys as well. Referring to them as beach birds is correct because they inhabit the rain forest and scrub on the entire east coast of Queensland from the far north stretching down to the southern tip of New South Wales. This is why I always see bush turkeys, they are very common. Bush turkeys spend their days digging/scratching around the ground for food like worms and insects. They make a huge mess in gardens particularly if they are nesting. Finding a big mound of garden stuff is a sure sign that a bush turkey is nesting. Male turkeys build the nests.

They are just like chooks, they are forever running around and away from approaching people and dogs. Dogs can't resist bush turkeys, they get a lot of sport chasing them. I have often seen dogs hot on the trail of bush turkeys, still attached to their leads. Unfortunately they are killed by dogs. Even though they can fly up to trees they do not fly distances. I have never seen a bush turkey flying over head.

Bush turkeys fly up trees to get away from dogs and to sleep at night. It is a sight to see lots of them perched in this paper bark tree in the early evening.



Entertaining animals, now and then people contemplate catching one and fattening it up for Christmas dinner. As far as I know this has not happened, but then again maybe it has!

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Cheers
Angie

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